China's vice premier Wang Yang to visit Pakistan for I-Day celebrations amid Doka La standoff

Islamabad: Chinese vice premier Wang Yang will arrive in Pakistan on Sunday to take part in the country’s Independence Day celebrations on 14 August, officials said on Saturday. Wang will be accompanied by a high-level delegation for the two-day visit, which comes on the “directions of President Xi Jinping as a special gesture”, the Foreign Office said. “His visit on this important milestone for Pakistan is a reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China,” it said. [caption id=“attachment_2789316” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] From Pakistan, Wang will head to Nepal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced in Beijing. Geng did not give the details of Wang’s Nepal visit. The visit to Pakistan and Nepal by the top Chinese official comes as India and China have been locked in a military standoff for nearly two months at Doka La near Sikkim. The face-off began on 16 June after Chinese troops tried to build a road in the disputed area. India has protested the move saying China was unilaterally changing the status quo at the tri-junction with India’s ally, Bhutan. As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China. In Pakistan, he will be the “special guest” to mark the country’s 70th Independence Day, and later call on President Mamnoon Hussain. He will also call on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a statement from the foreign office said. He will participate in an inauguration ceremony of projects related to the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Some bilateral agreements are likely to be signed during his visit to Pakistan. In March, a contingent of the guard of honour of the three services of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) took part in the Pakistan military parade held in Islamabad to mark Pakistan Day.